CN109311223B

CN109311223B - Additive manufacturing including selective heating

Info

Publication number: CN109311223B
Application number: CN201680086027.4A
Authority: CN
Inventors: K·瑙卡; H·S·汤姆; K·李
Original assignee: Hewlett Packard Development Co LP
Current assignee: Hewlett Packard Development Co LP
Priority date: 2016-07-19
Filing date: 2016-07-19
Publication date: 2021-07-13
Anticipated expiration: 2036-07-19
Also published as: EP3436237A4; US11072112B2; TWI642534B; US20190152134A1; CN109311223A; EP3436237A1; TW201811539A; EP3436237B1; WO2018017062A1

Abstract

For additive manufacturing of a 3D object, a layer of material is deposited onto a receiving surface. Selectively depositing droplets onto a first portion of the layer having at least some of the droplets containing at least a first colorant. The gas discharge light source selectively causes a first amount of heating in a first portion of the layer that is substantially higher than a second amount of heating in a second portion of the layer that omits the first colorant.

Description

Additive manufacturing including selective heating

Background

3D printing has greatly changed the prospects of the manufacturing industry. Via 3D printing, articles and components can be manufactured without the resources of a factory or other mass production facility.

Brief description of the drawings

Fig. 1 is a block diagram schematically illustrating an apparatus for additive manufacturing of a 3D object, including a top view, according to one example of the present disclosure.

Fig. 2 is a diagram schematically illustrating an inclusive side view of applying a colorant during additive manufacturing of a 3D object, according to an example of the present disclosure.

Fig. 3 is a diagram schematically illustrating applying energy during additive manufacturing of a 3D object, including a side view, according to an example of the present disclosure.

Fig. 4 is a block diagram schematically illustrating a control portion according to one example of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram schematically illustrating a manufacturing engine, according to an example of the present disclosure.

Fig. 6 is a graph schematically showing information about energy emission and absorption according to one example of the present disclosure.

Fig. 7 is a flow chart schematically illustrating a method of additive manufacturing a 3D object, according to an example of the present disclosure.

Detailed Description

In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific examples in which the disclosure may be practiced. It is to be understood that other examples may be used and structural or logical changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense. It is to be understood that features of the various examples described herein may be combined with each other in part or in whole, unless specifically noted otherwise.

At least some examples of the present disclosure relate to additive manufacturing of 3D objects. In some examples, a method of additive manufacturing includes depositing a layer of material onto a receiving surface, which may or may not hold a previously deposited layer of material. In some examples, the material is a polymeric material. In some examples, the material comprises a powdered material.

The method includes selectively depositing droplets including at least a first colorant onto a first portion of the layer. The gas discharge light source selectively causes a first amount of heating in a first portion of the layer that is substantially higher than a second amount of heating in a second portion of the layer in which the first colorant is omitted. In some examples, the amount of heating is sometimes expressed as an amount of energy absorbed in the material in the first portion or the second portion.

In some examples, a first amount of heating associated with the first colorant causes the material in the first portion to fuse, and a second amount of heating does not cause the material in the second portion to fuse. In some examples, the first amount of heating is at least one order of magnitude higher than the second amount of heating.

Via this arrangement, selective heating of the target portion of the material layer may be achieved, such heating causing fusion of the target portion of the material by melting or sintering.

In some examples, by using different colorants (each having a different absorption spectrum relative to the emission spectrum of the gas discharge light source), selective heating may be applied to a layer of material at different locations on the layer of material depending on the colorant deposited at the respective different locations on the layer of material. In some examples, such colorants can include cyan, magenta, yellow, and black, as well as mixtures thereof, such as can be achieved via halftone printing and similar techniques.

Further, in some examples, one colorant is the least light absorbing, such that deposition of such colorant at a particular location may reduce or substantially prevent heating at that location. In some examples, one such colorant may be white or off-white. In some examples, such an arrangement may be used when the deposited material already includes a color that is significantly light absorbing (e.g., energy absorbing) and the deposited colorant is used to selectively mask portions of the deposited material.

Furthermore, in some examples, the gas discharge light source can perform such heating very quickly and at high intensity, such that polymeric materials with high melting temperatures can be used for additive manufacturing of 3D objects. In some examples, these polymeric materials exhibit high strength.

Furthermore, the speed of such heating via the gas discharge light source can significantly reduce the amount of time involved in additive manufacturing of the 3D object, which can therefore enable faster deposition of successive layers of material.

These examples and additional examples are described in connection with at least fig. 1-7.

Fig. 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating an apparatus 30 for additive manufacturing a 3D object, according to one example of the present disclosure.

As shown in fig. 1, the apparatus 30 comprises a material distributor 50, said material distributor 50 being arranged to deposit material onto the receiving surface 42 for additive forming of the 3D object, such as a cylinder 90. It is to be understood that any shape of 3D object may be fabricated, and that the cylinder 90 provides only one exemplary shape. Although it is understood that any of a variety of deposition or dispensing techniques may be included in device 30, in some cases device 30 is sometimes referred to as a 3D printer to describe its ability to additively manufacture 3D objects.

In some examples, the apparatus 30 includes a material dispenser 50, a gas discharge light source 55, a fluid ejection array 58, and a reagent supply 60.

In some examples, the material distributor 50 has a length (L) sufficient to deposit material onto the entire length (L) of the receiving surface 42, such that the material distributor 50 is able to coat the entire receiving surface in a single pass as the material distributor 50 travels across the width (W) of the receiving surface 42. In some examples, the material distributor 50 can selectively deposit material in a length and pattern that is less than the full length of the material distributor 50. In some examples, the material distributor 50 may coat the receiving surface 42 with material(s) using multiple passes rather than a single pass.

In some examples, the material dispenser 50 moves in a first direction (indicated by directional arrow F) and the fluid ejection array 58 moves in a second direction (indicated by directional arrow S) that is generally perpendicular to the first direction. In some examples, the material dispenser 50 may deposit material in each pass of the back-and-forth travel path along the first direction, while the fluid ejection array 58 may deposit reagent in each pass of the back-and-forth travel path along the second direction. Of course, as previously described, in at least some examples, one pass is completed by the material distributor 50, followed by one pass of the fluid ejection array 58 before beginning a second pass of the material distributor 50, and so on.

In some examples, the deposited material is a polymeric material. In some examples, the material is in the form of a powder. In some examples, the material is a non-powder material.

In some examples, the material excludes metallic materials, and in some examples, the material includes metallic materials. In some examples, the material comprises a conductive material.

In some examples, the material has a color that is minimally light absorbing. In some examples, the material may be white. In some examples, such minimally light absorbing materials are off-white, including colors other than pure white that are still minimally light absorbing.

In some examples, the lowest light absorption color is a color that does not cause the material to fuse (via melting or sintering) when exposed to a gas discharge light source 55 having an emission spectrum in the ultraviolet-visible wavelength range. In some examples, such examples of the gas discharge light source 55 do not include wavelengths outside the visible wavelength range.

In some examples, the lowest light absorption color is a color that does not cause the material to fuse (via melting or sintering) when exposed to a gas discharge light source 55 having an emission spectrum in the ultraviolet-visible-near infrared wavelength range. In some examples, such examples of the gas discharge light source 55 include substantially no wavelengths outside the near infrared wavelength range.

In some examples, the material deposited via the material dispenser 50 comprises a high strength polymeric material. In some examples, such materials include Polyetheretherketone (PEEK), Polyetherketone (PEK), polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTPE), Perfluoroalkoxyalkane (PFA), perfluoropolymer (PFPE), perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyamide 4, 6(PA46), polyamide 6, 6(PA66), or polybutylene terephthalate (PBT).

In some examples, such high strength materials have a high melting point. In some examples, the Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) material has a melting point of 350 ℃, the Polyetherketone (PEK) material has a melting point of 360 ℃, the polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) material has a melting point of 280 ℃, the polytetrafluoroethylene (PTPE) material has a melting point of 327 ℃, the Perfluoroalkoxyalkane (PFA) material has a melting point of 300 ℃, the perfluoropolymer (PFPE) material has a melting point of 300 ℃, the perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA) material has a melting point of 280 ℃, the polyethylene terephthalate (PET) material has a melting point of 260 ℃, the polyamide 4, 6(PA46) material has a melting point of 295 ℃, the polyamide 6, 6(PA66) material has a melting point of 255 ℃, the polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) material has a melting point of 230 ℃.

In some examples, at least a portion of these melting points of the material to be deposited may exceed the melting points of materials that comprise commercially available additive manufacturing devices and/or components included in commercially available additive manufacturing devices, such that attempts to supply energy to melt such high melting point materials to form a 3D object may damage commercially available additive manufacturing devices. However, in accordance with at least some examples of the present disclosure, such high melting point materials may be used for additive manufacturing via the device 30 without damaging the device 30 via the very rapid energy emission and high intensity energy emitted by the gas discharge light source 55. Thus, in accordance with at least some examples of the present disclosure, the gas discharge light source 55 enables the use of high strength materials in additive manufacturing that were previously unusable due to device limitations associated with such high melting temperatures.

In some examples, the material comprises a polymer having a melting temperature of at least 200 ℃. In some examples, the material comprises a polymer having a melting temperature of at least 300 ℃. In some examples, the material comprises a polymer having a melting temperature of at least 350 ℃. In some examples, the material comprises a polymer having a melting temperature of less than 200 ℃.

In some examples, as shown in fig. 1, the fluid ejection array 58 includes a printing mechanism that includes an array of print heads that each include a plurality of individually addressable nozzles for selectively ejecting reagent onto the receiving surface 42. It is to be understood that in the case where a layer(s) of material already exists on the receiving surface 42, the droplets are deposited on such layer(s) of material rather than directly onto the receiving surface 42.

In some examples, fluid ejection array 58 includes a thermal inkjet array. In some examples, the fluid ejection array 58 may eject individual droplets having volumes on the order of picoliters or nanoliters.

In some examples, selective deposition of droplets is performed on a voxel-by-voxel basis. A voxel is a volumetric pixel, i.e. a volumetric image element. In some examples, a resolution of 1200 voxels per inch is achieved via fluid ejection array 58.

In some examples, the fluid ejection array 58 has a width (W) that enables deposition of reagents across the entire width (W) of the receiving surface 42, and thus is sometimes referred to as providing page width fabrication (e.g., page width printing). In such instances, with this arrangement, the fluid ejection array 58 may deposit reagent onto the entire receiving surface in a single pass as the fluid ejection array 58 travels the length of the receiving surface 42 (L1). In some examples, the fluid ejection array 58 may deposit the reagent onto the material layer in multiple passes rather than a single pass.

However, it is to be understood that the fluid ejection array 58 includes individually addressable nozzles for selectively ejecting/dispensing droplets at targeted locations (e.g., targeted

portions

80A, 80B, 80C shown in fig. 1) on the receiving surface 42. It is further understood that the size, number, and/or shape of the portions 80A-80C shown in FIG. 1 are merely representative, and that other sizes, numbers, and/or shapes of targeted portions may be implemented.

It is further understood that the 3D object additively formed via apparatus 30 may have a width and/or length that is less than the width (W) and/or length (L) of the receiving surface 42. In one aspect, in some examples, once formed, the 3D object is separate from the receiving surface 42 and independent of the receiving surface 42.

In some examples, a reagent supply 60 of the device 30 is in fluid communication with the fluid ejection array 58 and includes an array of reservoirs to contain various reagents, such as, but not limited to, colorants 62 and other reagents 64, such as fining agents, supplemental fusing agents, and the like. At least a portion of the different colorants are further described below in conjunction with at least fig. 5-6. As previously discussed, at least the colorant may facilitate heating at least selected portions of the material layer to cause fusing, such as via melting, sintering, and the like. In some examples, at least a portion of the colorant can be used without (i.e., without) a supplemental fusing agent, such as a Near Infrared (NIR) dye. In some examples, all colorants can be used without (i.e., without including) supplemental fusing agents, such as Near Infrared (NIR) dyes. Thus, in such examples, the colorant does not include a NIR dye, i.e., is not supplemented with a NIR dye or other supplemental fusing agent.

However, in some examples, a supplemental fusing agent is used in conjunction with the colorant(s) to further facilitate absorption of the light energy emitted by the gas discharge light source 55. In some examples, the supplemental fusing agent comprises a Near Infrared (NIR) dye. In some examples, the supplemental fusing agent comprises an agent other than a NIR dye.

In some examples, the device 30 may be used to additively form a 3D object via a MultiJet Fusion (MJF) process (available from HP, Inc.). In some examples, the additive manufacturing process performed via device 30 does not include: selective Laser Sintering (SLS); selective Laser Melting (SLM); 3D adhesive printing (e.g., 3D adhesive jetting); fused Deposition Modeling (FDM); stereolithography (SLA); or curable liquid photopolymer jet (Polyjet).

In at least some examples, the additive manufacturing process is performed in conjunction with apparatus 30 (fig. 1) without subtractive manufacturing processes such as machining, etching, and the like.

In some examples, the entire additively-formed 3D object is solid, while in some examples, only a portion of the 3D object is solid. In some examples, the entire 3D object or a portion of the 3D object is hollow, i.e., shaped into walls that together define a hollow interior space.

As further shown in fig. 1, the apparatus 30 includes a gas discharge light source 55 for irradiating deposited material, reagents, etc. to heat the material, which in turn causes the material particles to fuse relative to one another, such fusing occurring via melting, sintering, etc.

In some examples, at least a majority (e.g., 51%) of the emission spectrum of the gas discharge light source 55 occurs in the ultraviolet-visible wavelength range. In some examples, at least a substantial portion (e.g., 67%) of the emission spectrum of the gas discharge light source 55 occurs in the ultraviolet-visible wavelength range.

In some examples, the gas discharge light source 55 is capable of achieving a high rate of energy emission per unit time.

In some examples, the gas discharge light source 55 may irradiate the deposited material and reagent via a single flash having an energy density of about 1 joule/square centimeter to about 50 joules/square centimeter and having a duration of tens of microseconds (e.g., 50 microseconds) to tens of milliseconds (e.g., 20, 30 milliseconds). In some examples, these parameters for illumination may be achieved via a xenon flash lamp acting as a gas discharge light source. .

In some examples, the gas discharge light source 55 is spaced about 15 millimeters from the layer of material.

In some examples, the gas discharge light source 55 emits a high intensity pulse rather than Continuous (CW) illumination. In some cases, the high intensity pulse may accelerate the speed of heating the target material while potentially reducing the amount of heat directed to components in (or associated with) the additive manufacturing device other than the target material.

In some examples, the material dispenser 50 and the gas discharge light source 55 are supported by a common carriage 57 that is movable relative to the receiving surface 42 along a first direction (F). In view of the short time and high intensity emission of the gas discharge light source (as described further below in connection with at least fig. 6), in some examples, the gas discharge light source 55 emits a series of flashes of light so as to illuminate the entire layer of material on the receiving surface 42 in a single pass. This arrangement can greatly increase the speed of additive manufacturing compared to some commercially available devices that use multiple pass irradiation devices to sufficiently irradiate the material layer to cause fusion in the additive manufacturing process.

In some examples, the gas discharge light source 55 has a fixed position on or toward the receiving surface 42 and is therefore not supported by the movable bracket 57. In such examples, the gas discharge light source 55 is separate from the material dispenser 50 and is supported independently of the material dispenser 50. In some such examples, the gas discharge light source 55 produces a single flash of light having an area sufficient to illuminate the entire receiving surface 42 and thus the entire layer of material on the receiving surface 42.

In some examples, the gas discharge light source 55 is supported by a movable bracket 57 as previously described. However, unlike the gas discharge light source 55, which provides a series of flashes, the movable carriage 57 moves the gas discharge light source 55 to a central position on the receiving surface 42 where the gas discharge light source 55 emits a single flash of light sufficient to illuminate the entire layer of material on the receiving surface 42. After this single flash, the carriage 57 is moved to a position from which the next pass of material dispensing can be initiated, as appropriate.

In some examples, after applying energy via the gas discharge light source 55, additional layers of materials and/or reagents may be deposited via the apparatus 30 as desired, and further subsequent application of energy via the gas discharge light source 55.

In some examples, the gas discharge light source 55 includes pulsed discharge lamps such as xenon flash tubes, krypton flash tubes, argon flash tubes, and neon flash tubes, as well as flash tubes containing various combinations of xenon, krypton, argon, and neon.

In some examples, the gas discharge light source 55 comprises a high intensity Continuous Wave (CW) discharge lamp, such as, but not limited to, a mercury (Hg) vapor light source, a metal halide light source, a sodium (Na) vapor light source, and a xenon short arc lamp.

In some examples, the gas discharge light source 55 is replaced with a cyclotron radiation source.

Fig. 2 is a diagram 150 that schematically shows applying a colorant during additive manufacturing of a 3D object, including a side view, according to an example of the present disclosure. As shown in fig. 2, a colorant is applied (e.g., via fluid ejection array 58) at 182 in the form of an array of droplets 184 onto a second layer 170 of material, which is located on top of the first layer 160 of material. As further shown in fig. 2, the first layer 160 includes unfused portions 162 and fused portions 164. The dashed line a represents a layer connection between the first layer 160 and the second layer 170. After depositing colorant droplets 184 via device 30, energy is applied as further shown in FIG. 3.

Fig. 3 is a diagram 200 that schematically illustrates applying energy during additive manufacturing of a 3D object, including a side view, according to an example of the present disclosure. As shown in fig. 3, energy 212 is applied to the second layer of material 170, including the portion of the second layer 170 on which the colorant is applied, via the gas discharge light source 55. As shown in fig. 3, since the gas discharge light source 55 has an emission spectrum that substantially overlaps with the absorption spectrum of the colorant, the target portion (T) of the second layer is heated to a temperature that exceeds the melting point of the material in the second layer 170, thereby causing fusion of the material particles in the target portion T. Further details regarding the substantial overlap between the absorption spectrum of the colorant and the emission spectrum of a gas discharge light source, such as, but not limited to, a gas discharge light source (e.g., a xenon flash lamp), are described further below in connection with at least FIG. 6. Meanwhile, as further shown in fig. 3, the non-target portion (N) is not fused due to the absence of the colorant at that location.

With the frame described in connection with at least fig. 1-3, the apparatus 30 may be used for additive manufacturing of 3D objects in at least the following manner. Via the material distributor 50, a layer of material may be deposited onto the receiving surface. Apparatus 30 selectively deposits droplets comprising at least a first colorant onto a first portion of the layer via a single pass using fluid ejection array 58. However, in some examples, multiple passes may be employed to deposit the droplets. In either case, the gas discharge light source 55 is then used to induce a first amount of energy absorption in a first portion of the layer that is significantly higher than a second amount of energy absorption in a second portion of the layer where the first colorant is omitted. In some examples, the significantly higher energy absorption is 3-4 times higher in the first portion than in the second portion. In some examples, the significantly higher energy absorption is at least 5 times higher in the first portion than in the second portion. In some examples, the significantly higher energy absorption is at least 10 times (e.g., at least one order of magnitude) higher in the first portion than in the second portion.

In some examples, the first amount of energy absorption associated with the first colorant causes fusion of the material in the first portion, and the second amount of energy absorption does not cause fusion in the second portion. In some examples, the first amount of energy absorption is at least one order of magnitude higher than the second amount of energy absorption.

It is to be understood that as subsequent layers of material overlying any previously deposited colorant, little to no heating occurs at these locations until/unless additional light absorbing colorant is applied to these locations after application of the subsequent layers of material.

In some examples, for some layers, the deposited material layer has a default color that has sufficient light absorption to undergo fusion (via melting, sintering, etc.) when exposed to a sufficiently high energy emission from the gas discharge light source 55. In such examples, the fluid ejection array 58 may selectively deposit a colorant having a second color that is minimally light absorbing so as not to cause fusion upon exposure to energy emissions from the gas discharge light source 55 prior to application of energy by the gas discharge light source 55. Via such an arrangement, the gas discharge light source 55 may cause fusion of the material (already having the first color) and not result in fusion of the material covered with the selectively deposited colorant (the second color). In other words, the deposited colorant is used to selectively mask portions of the deposited material to achieve a desired fused pattern of portions of the deposited material not covered by the deposited colorant.

In some examples, the additive manufacturing method via device 30 includes depositing a first layer of material onto a receiving surface using material dispenser 50 in substantially the same manner as described above. Via fluid ejection array 58, device 30 selectively deposits droplets of at least a first colorant and a second colorant at different locations on the first layer. The gas discharge light source 55 is used to cause fusion at the location of the first layer with the first colorant, but not at the location with the second colorant. In some examples, the first colorant is generally light absorbing, the second colorant is the color with the lowest light absorption, and the second colorant is deposited without the need for fusing. At the same time, the first colorant exhibits an absorption spectrum that sufficiently overlaps with the emission spectrum of the gas discharge light source, resulting in fusion (via melting or sintering) of the material covered with the first colorant.

In some examples, apparatus 30 (fig. 1) includes and/or operates in cooperation with a control portion, thereby enabling additive manufacturing of a 3D object, an exemplary embodiment of control portion 300 being described in connection with at least fig. 4.

Fig. 4 is a block diagram schematically illustrating the control section 300 according to an example of the present disclosure.

In some examples, as shown throughout this disclosure in connection with fig. 1-3 and 5-7, control portion 300 provides one exemplary implementation of a control portion that forms a portion of any one of an implementation and/or management device, a material dispenser, a reagent supply, a fluid ejection array, a gas discharge light source, an engine, a function, a parameter, and/or a method.

In some examples, the control portion 300 includes a controller 302 and a memory 310.

Generally, the controller 302 of the control section 300 includes at least one processor 304 and associated memory. As shown throughout this disclosure, the controller 302 is electrically connected to and in communication with the memory 310 to generate control signals to direct the operation of at least a portion of the apparatus, material dispenser, reagent supply, fluid ejection array, gas discharge light source, engine, function, parameter, and/or method. In some examples, these generated control signals include, but are not limited to, using manufacturing engine 311 stored in memory 310 to at least direct and manage additive manufacturing of the 3D object in at least some of the ways described in the examples of this disclosure.

In response to or based on commands received via a user interface (e.g., user interface 320 in fig. 4) and/or via machine-readable instructions, controller 302 generates control signals to implement additive manufacturing of a 3D object in accordance with at least some examples of the present disclosure. In some examples, the controller 302 is embodied as a general purpose computing device, while in some examples, the controller 302 is incorporated into or associated with at least some of the related apparatus, material dispensers, reagent supplies, fluid ejection arrays, gas discharge light sources, engines, functions, parameters and/or methods, and so forth, described throughout this disclosure.

For purposes of this application, with reference to the controller 302, the term "processor" shall mean a presently developed or future developed processor (or processing resource) that executes sequences of machine-readable instructions contained in a memory. In some examples, execution of the sequences of machine-readable instructions (such as those provided via memory 310 of control portion 300) causes the processor to perform acts, such as operating controller 302 to effect additive manufacturing of a 3D object as generally described (or consistent with) in at least some examples of this disclosure. The machine-readable instructions may be loaded into Random Access Memory (RAM) for execution by the processor from their storage location (as shown by memory 310) in Read Only Memory (ROM), mass storage device, or some other persistent storage (e.g., non-transitory tangible medium or non-volatile tangible medium). In some examples, the memory 310 includes a computer readable tangible medium that provides non-volatile storage of machine readable instructions executable by the processes of the controller 302. In other instances, hardwired circuitry may be used in place of or in combination with machine-readable instructions to implement the functions described. For example, the controller 302 may be embodied as part of at least one Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC). In at least some examples, the controller 302 is not limited to any specific combination of hardware circuitry and machine-readable instructions, nor to any particular source for the machine-readable instructions executed by the controller 302.

In some examples, the control portion 300 is implemented entirely within or by a stand-alone device having at least some of the substantially same features and attributes as the apparatus 30 previously described in connection with at least fig. 1-3. In some examples, the control portion 300 is implemented in part in the device 30 and in part in a computing resource that is separate and independent from the device 30 but in communication with the device 30.

In some examples, the control portion 300 includes the user interface 320 displayed in fig. 4. In some examples, the user interface 320 includes a user interface or other display that provides for simultaneous display, activation, and/or operation of at least some of the apparatus, material dispensers, reagent supplies, fluid ejection arrays, gas discharge light sources, engines, functions, parameters, and/or methods as described in connection with fig. 1-3 and 5-7. In some instances, at least some portions or aspects of the user interface 320 are provided via a Graphical User Interface (GUI) and may include a display 324 and an input device 322.

Fig. 5 is a block diagram that schematically illustrates a manufacturing engine 350, in accordance with an example of the present disclosure. In some examples, manufacturing engine 350 provides one exemplary implementation of manufacturing engine 311 in control portion 300 of FIG. 4. In some examples, control portion manufacturing engine 350 has at least some substantially the same features and attributes as manufacturing engine 311 described in connection with FIG. 4.

As shown in fig. 5, in some examples, the manufacturing engine 350 includes a distribution engine 360, a combining engine 380, and/or an energy engine 390. In some examples, the manufacturing engine 350 directs and manages additive manufacturing of 3D objects, including depositing material relative to a receiving surface to additively form a three-dimensional (3D) object.

In general, the dispensing engine 360 enables selection (either automatically or manually) of materials, reagents, and the like for deposition onto a receiving surface and/or onto a partially formed 3D object. In some examples, the dispense engine 360 includes a material parameter 362. Via the material parameters 362, the manufacturing engine 350 specifies which materials and amounts of such materials are available for additive forming the body of the 3D object. In some examples, these materials are deposited via material dispenser 50 of apparatus 30 (fig. 1).

The material may comprise a polymer, ceramic, or the like, having sufficient strength, formability, toughness, or the like for the intended use of the 3D object, at least some of the example materials previously described in connection with fig. 1.

In some examples, the dispensing engine 360 includes a reagent function 364 to specify which reagents are to be selectively deposited onto previously deposited material layers and/or other reagents. In some examples, such reagents are deposited via the fluid ejection array 58 (fig. 1). In some examples, the reagent function 364 includes a color array parameter 366, a refinement parameter 368, and a fusion parameter 369.

The color array parameters 366 can select different colorants and mixtures thereof that can be deposited. In some examples, the different colorants may include cyan, magenta, yellow, and black. However, other colorants, including spot colors, may be used. At least some aspects related to such colorants that may be selected via color array parameters 366 are further described below in connection with at least fig. 6. The colorant may promote fusion of the material by absorbing light energy from the gas discharge light source 55.

In some examples, the refinement parameters 368 control the deposition of a refining agent to supplement the fusing of the deposited material, while the fusing parameters 366 control the deposition of a supplemental fusing agent that, along with a colorant, can promote the fusing of the deposited material into a monolithic structure. In some examples, other or additional reagents are selectively deposited. It is to be understood that in at least some instances, the supplemental fusing agent is omitted and not deposited onto the material, and the colorant (selectively deposited onto the material) is sufficient to cause sufficient heating and melting of the material intended for fusing.

It is to be understood that in some instances, the allocation engine 360 is not limited to specifying the type of materials, reagents, etc. associated with the

parameters

362, 366, 368, 369 illustrated in fig. 5, but may specify any type of materials, reagents, etc. that facilitates additive manufacturing of a 3D object, as well as such types of materials, reagents, etc. depending on the size, type, shape, use, etc. of the 3D object and depending on the particular type of method used to implement additive manufacturing of the 3D object.

Different respective types of reagents, etc. may each be contained individually in different reservoirs (e.g., 62, 64 in fig. 1) of the reagent supply station 60 and selectively extracted as needed during additive manufacturing of the 3D object. Similarly, for different materials used for each parameter 362, the different materials may each be contained in separate reservoirs until deposited via the dispenser 50 (fig. 1).

In general, the composition engine 380 of the manufacturing engine 350 is capable of selecting (automatically or manually) the attributes from which to deposit a selected agent. For example, in some instances, the combining engine 380 includes a location parameter 382, a size parameter 384, a shape parameter 386, a quantity parameter 388, and a spacing parameter 389. The location parameters 382 may specify where various agents and/or structural features of the 3D object are located. For example, the location parameters 382 can specify locations at which colorant is deposited to cause the material layer to fuse (e.g., via melting, via sintering, etc.). Meanwhile, the size parameter 384 may specify the size of the area on which a particular agent (e.g., a colorant, a refiner, etc.) is deposited. The size may be specified as an absolute or relative amount, i.e. a size relative to the size or volume of the surrounding material that does not receive the specific reagent.

In some examples, the shape parameter 386 can specify the shape of a particular reagent deposited thereon, which can be absolute or relative to the general shape of the 3D object. In some examples, the quantity parameter 388 can specify the number of locations at which a particular reagent is deposited on a material layer. In some examples, spacing parameter 389 can specify a spacing between multiple locations at which a particular reagent is deposited.

In general, the energy engine 390 of the manufacturing engine 350 can specify various processing steps on the deposition material and agent, such as applying energy to cause fusion of the deposition material, and the like.

In some examples, the energy function 390 includes a time function 392, an intensity parameter 397, and a wavelength parameter 398. The time function 392 includes static parameters 394 and dynamic parameters 395.

In some examples, the time function 392 specifies an amount of time to emit energy from the gas discharge light source 55 toward materials, reagents, etc. on the receiving surface 42. In some examples, the gas discharge light source 55 illuminates the layer of material with a single flash. Thus, the gas discharge light source 55 may remain stationary (i.e., static) during such emissions, and the time of illumination may be specified via static parameters 394. However, in some instances where the gas discharge light source 55 moves over the material, reagent, etc. (on the receiving surface 42) during a series of flashes, the dynamic parameters 395 may specify the total amount of time to emit or the emission time of each flash.

In some examples, the intensity parameter 397 controls the intensity of energy emitted by the gas discharge light source 55, while the wavelength parameter 398 selectively controls the range of wavelength spectra that may be emitted by the gas discharge light source 55.

Fig. 6 is a graph 450 including a graph 452 that schematically shows absorbance and emission according to one example of the present disclosure.

As shown in fig. 6, the graph 450 includes a first y-axis 454 showing absorbance, a second y-axis 456 showing emission (a.u.), and an x-axis 458 showing wavelength (nanometers). Via legend 460, each colorant (e.g., cyan, magenta, yellow, black) is labeled according to the corresponding line pattern and associated reference numeral (e.g., 470, 472, 474, 478, respectively). Further, legend 460 provides for labeling two different exemplary gas discharge light sources, such as xenon flash lamps (e.g., Xe flash lamp 1 and Xe flash lamp 2, respectively), according to corresponding line patterns and associated reference numbers and their associated 480, 482.

In one aspect, the plot 452 concatenates the emission spectra of the respective xenon flash lamps, as represented via

lines

480, 482, with respect to the absorption spectra of each respective colorant (C-470; M-472; Y-474; and K-478). With this juxtaposition, it can be seen that a significant overlap occurs between the energy emission of the

lamps

480, 482 above 2000a.u. and the absorption of yellow-474 in the wavelength range of about 300 to about 425 nanometers. With further reference to fig. 452, it can be seen that a significant overlap occurs between the energy emission of the

lamps

480, 482 above 2000a.u. and the absorption of the colorant magenta-472 in the wavelength range of about 500 to about 600 nanometers. With further reference to fig. 452, it can be seen that a significant overlap occurs between the energy emissions of the

lamps

480, 482 above 2000a.u. and the absorption of the colorant cyan-474 in the wavelength range of about 550 to about 700 nanometers. This information indicates that significant overlap occurs between the wavelength spectrum of the xenon flash lamp and the wavelengths of the corresponding yellow, magenta, and cyan colorants, such that a substantial portion of the energy emitted by the

flash lamps

480, 482 is absorbed by the corresponding colorants yellow, magenta, and/or cyan.

Via this arrangement, significant overlap occurs between the absorption spectrum of the colorants (e.g., cyan, magenta, yellow) and the emission spectrum of the xenon flash lamp.

In some examples, the gas discharge light sources disclosed throughout at least some examples of the present disclosure may be Ultraviolet (UV) -visible gas discharge light sources that substantially exclude wavelengths greater than the near Infrared (IR) emission spectrum.

In some examples of such Ultraviolet (UV) -visible gas discharge light sources, the gas discharge light source also excludes wavelengths in the Near Infrared (NIR) spectrum. In other words, such Ultraviolet (UV) -visible gas discharge light sources substantially exclude wavelengths above the ultraviolet-visible emission spectrum.

Fig. 7 is a flow chart schematically illustrating a method of fabricating a 3D object, according to an example of the present disclosure. In some examples, method 600 is performed via at least some of the material dispensers, fluid ejection arrays, reagent supplies, gas discharge light sources, devices, engines, functions, methods previously described in connection with at least fig. 1-6. In some examples, method 600 is performed via at least some material dispensers, fluid ejection arrays, reagent supplies, gas discharge light sources, devices, engines, functions, methods other than those previously described in connection with at least fig. 1-6. In particular, in some examples, the method 600 is implemented via at least a manufacturing engine, such as the manufacturing engine 250 in fig. 5.

As shown in fig. 7, at 602, method 600 includes depositing a layer of material relative to a receiving surface to additively form a monolithic 3D object. In some instances where a previous layer of material and/or reagent has been deposited onto the receiving surface, subsequent layers of material are no longer deposited directly onto the receiving surface, but are instead deposited onto previously deposited materials, reagents, etc.

At 604, method 600 includes selectively depositing droplets including at least a first colorant onto a first portion of the layer of material. At 606, method 600 includes applying a gas discharge light source to selectively cause a first amount of energy absorption in a first portion of the layer that is substantially higher than a second amount of energy absorption in a second portion of the layer where the first colorant is omitted.

Although specific examples have been illustrated and described herein, various alternative and/or equivalent implementations may be substituted for the specific examples shown and described without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. This application is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the specific examples discussed herein.

Claims

1. A method of additive manufacturing, comprising:

depositing a layer of material onto a receiving surface;

selectively depositing droplets comprising at least a first colorant onto a first portion of the layer via a single pass using a page-width fluid ejection array; and is

Applying a gas discharge light source so as to selectively cause a first amount of energy absorption in a first portion of the layer that is substantially higher than a second amount of energy absorption in a second portion of the layer omitting a first colorant, wherein applying the gas discharge light source comprises irradiating the deposited material layer and the colorant via a single flash having an energy density of 1 to 50 joules per square centimeter and having a duration of 50 to 30 milliseconds.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a first amount of energy absorption associated with the first colorant causes fusion of material in the first portion and a second amount of energy absorption does not cause fusion in the second portion.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first amount of energy absorption is at least one order of magnitude higher than the second amount of energy.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the material comprises a polymer having a melting temperature of at least 200 ℃.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the material is selected from Polyetheretherketone (PEEK), Polyetherketone (PEK), polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTPE), Perfluoroalkoxyalkane (PFA), perfluoropolymer (PFPE), perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyamide 4, 6(PA46), polyamide 6, 6(PA66), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT).

6. An additive manufacturing apparatus comprising:

a material dispenser for depositing a first layer of material onto a receiving surface;

a page width array of fluid ejection nozzles for selectively depositing droplets of at least a first colorant and a second colorant at different locations on a first layer; and

a gas discharge light source for inducing fusion at a location of the first layer having the first colorant and not inducing fusion at a location having the second colorant, wherein the gas discharge light source irradiates the deposited material layer and the colorant via a single flash of light having an energy density of 1 to 50 joules per square centimeter and having a duration of 50 to 30 milliseconds.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the absorbance of the first colorant relative to the emission spectrum of the gas discharge light source is substantially higher than the absorbance of the second colorant relative to the emission spectrum of the gas discharge light source.

8. The device of claim 6, wherein the absorbance of the first colorant is at least one order of magnitude higher than the absorbance of the second colorant.

9. The device of claim 6, wherein the material comprises a polymer having a melting temperature of at least 200 ℃ and is selected from Polyetheretherketone (PEEK), Polyetherketone (PEK), polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTPE), Perfluoroalkoxyalkane (PFA), perfluoropolymer (PFPE), perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyamide 4, 6(PA46), polyamide 6, 6(PA66), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT).

10. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the emission spectrum of the gas discharge light source includes substantially no wavelengths greater than a wavelength of a Near Infrared (NIR) emission spectrum.

11. The apparatus of claim 6, comprising:

a control section including a color array parameter for selecting a deposition of a color from a colorant array including a first colorant and a second colorant,

wherein at least the first colorant has an absorption spectrum that substantially overlaps with the emission spectrum of the gas discharge light source and the second colorant has an absorption spectrum relative to the emission spectrum of the gas discharge light source, whereby no fusion is induced at locations having the second colorant.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the control portion comprises a combination engine comprising at least one of:

a location parameter for selecting a location at which to deposit a corresponding colorant;

a size parameter for selecting a size of an area on which the corresponding colorant is deposited;

a shape parameter for selecting a shape of an area on which the corresponding colorant is deposited;

a quantity parameter for selecting a number of locations at which to deposit a respective colorant; and

a spacing parameter for selecting a spacing between locations at which respective colorants are deposited.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the control portion comprises an energy engine comprising a timing function to select application of energy by the gas discharge light source according to at least one of:

a static parameter, wherein the gas discharge light source is stationary during energy application; and

dynamic parameters, wherein the gas discharge light source is moved in a single pass over the receiving area during the energy application to fuse the material at the location with the first colorant.

14. An additive manufacturing apparatus comprising a processing resource to execute machine-readable instructions stored in a non-transitory medium to:

depositing a layer of polymeric material onto a receiving surface;

selectively depositing droplets comprising at least a first colorant onto a first portion of the layer; and

selectively inducing a first amount of heating in a first portion of the layer that is substantially higher than a second amount of heating in a second portion of the layer omitting a first colorant via a gas discharge light source that irradiates the deposited layer of material and colorant via a single flash of light having an energy density of 1 to 50 joules per square centimeter and having a duration of 50 to 30 milliseconds.

15. The additive manufacturing apparatus of claim 14, wherein the gas discharge light source is a xenon flash lamp.